Trapped In Elysium: A Virtual Reality Nightmare-Chapter 112: Mummified Centaur

Liam’s boots scraped the crumbled stone as he tensed, eyes narrowing toward the palace. They had barely closed half the distance — two hundred meters maybe — when a sharp, bone-chilling screech split the air. It wasn’t a sound made by anything living. It was cracked and ragged, like a creature howling through a throat full of dust.

Everyone froze. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Out of the shadows near the palace’s broken archway, it emerged.

The thing was horrific to look at — the withered, skeletal body of a centaur, its four legs thin and rotted to the bone, its humanoid torso wrapped in ancient, tattered bandages that hung off it like dried flesh. In one of its hands, it clutched a rusted, jagged sword, the blade so corroded it looked like it might snap at any second — but there was no mistaking the deadly intent with which it carried it.

Its hollow eyes locked onto the group with a hunger that was almost tangible. Murderous intent radiated off it like heat from a forge.

Borik cursed under his breath, stepping back instinctively. Even Gorr, who prided himself on being fearless, drew his sword with a nervous clatter.

Before anyone could react further, Liam, Jason, Marcus, Sophia, and Eleanor all heard it — a sharp bing echoing faintly in their minds. The system interface, invisible yet familiar now, flickered before their eyes.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

> QUEST UPDATE: DEFEAT THE MUMMIFIED CENTAUR TO ENTER THE GRAND PALACE

Reward: ???

Difficulty: Advanced Tier

______

There was hardly time to finish reading it. The moment the notification faded from their minds, the centaur let out another sickening screech and hurled itself forward.

It was fast — unnaturally fast for something so rotten.

The ground trembled under its charge, dust and pebbles scattering in every direction as its hooves smashed against the cracked stones of the street.

"Form up!" Liam shouted, his voice cutting through the panic like a whip.

Everyone moved on instinct. Liam unsheathed his sword in one swift motion, the metal gleaming dully in the weak sunlight. Jason scrambled to ready his staff, muttering a few words under his breath as magic pulsed faintly at his fingertips. Sophia quickly nocked an arrow to her bow, her hands steady despite the terror in her eyes. Eleanor flipped a dagger in her hand, the blade catching the light. Marcus tightened his grip on his axe, his face grim.

There was no more time for fear.

There was no more time for second thoughts.

The centaur was almost upon them, its rotted body somehow moving with brutal, relentless energy. Dust swirled behind it like a storm.

Liam’s muscles tensed, and he knew in the pit of his stomach — this was only the beginning.

Jason was the first to move. He slammed the butt of his staff into the ground — a shimmer of blue light spread outward, forming a quick barrier in front of the group. It caught the first charge, but the mummified centaur smashed through it like paper, sending shards of energy scattering into the air.

Marcus roared and swung his axe. The heavy blade met the centaur’s sword with a deafening clang, sparks bursting between them. Marcus grunted from the force, skidding back a step, boots dragging across the dusty stones.

Sophia released an arrow, the shaft flying straight and fast, burying deep into the centaur’s shoulder — but the creature didn’t even flinch. It only snarled, that dry, broken screech grinding against their ears.

"Spread out!" Eleanor barked, darting to the side, flipping her dagger in her hand again. She ducked low, trying to circle around the centaur’s flank. Gorr and Sera moved with her, keeping low and fast, weapons ready.

Von came charging in from the rear, his massive club swinging over his head. He bellowed as he brought it down, aiming for the centaur’s back — but the creature moved faster than he expected. It twisted, hooves pounding the stone, and the club missed by inches, slamming into the ground and shaking the earth.

"Dammit!" Von cursed, yanking the weapon free.

Jason fired a bolt of magic from his staff — a streak of searing light that struck the centaur square in the chest. This time it staggered, just a little, but it wasn’t enough. The thing snarled again, raising its rusted sword high.

Sophia fired another arrow — this one aimed at the centaur’s right knee. It struck true, lodging deep into the joint. The creature stumbled briefly, but caught itself with an eerie, almost mechanical jerk.

Mariel, still behind with Borik, watched with wide eyes, clutching her sword tighter. She was terrified, and it showed.

Liam stood back, his eyes cold and calculating. He wasn’t rushing in yet. He needed to see how the creature fought...what its strengths and weaknesses were. Charging in without understanding would just get them killed faster.

The centaur charged again, aiming this time at Jason. He barely dodged, throwing himself to the side as the creature’s blade ripped through the space where his head had been a second ago.

Eleanor struck then, darting forward and slashing at the centaur’s side. Her dagger sliced through the rotted wrappings, cutting into the flesh beneath — if it could even be called flesh anymore — but again, the damage was minimal. It was like fighting a monster stitched together by hatred and dry bones.

Marcus tried to hook the centaur’s legs with his axe, but the beast reared up suddenly, lashing out with its hooves. One hoof clipped Marcus’s shoulder, sending him sprawling to the ground with a grunt.

"Marcus!" Sophia shouted, loosing another arrow — this one slammed into the centaur’s chest, making it rear again, but it refused to fall.

Blood — black and thick like tar — oozed from the wounds they inflicted, but it wasn’t enough. The centaur still moved with the same terrifying speed.

Borik cursed and threw a small axe from the rear — it spun through the air and buried itself into the centaur’s ribs. The creature let out a guttural growl, stumbling a step, but then its eyes locked on Borik with a furious glare.

Sophia rushed to Marcus, helping him up, her bow discarded for the moment.

"You good?" she hissed.

Marcus wiped blood from his lip and nodded. "Still breathing."

They regrouped quickly, forming a rough half-circle around the creature, keeping it from focusing on one person.

Still, the centaur stood strong, breathing that ragged, empty breath. It wasn’t slowing down the way normal enemies would. Every hit they landed seemed to anger it more, not weaken it.

Liam watched quietly, heart pounding hard in his chest. He could feel the tension crackling in the air like lightning before a storm.

Not yet.

The group needed to fight this battle — needed to find their footing — because they knew this wasn’t the only nightmare waiting inside the palace.

The mummified centaur pawed the ground, its cracked hooves sending up little clouds of dust, before lowering its rusted sword again, ready to charge once more.

The fight was far from over.